In the past, shaped charge warheads have been aligned along the axis of the missile with the safe and arm mechanism attached to the rear of the warhead. In certain applications, this is not a sufficient arrangement for the shaped charge warhead in that it is desirable at times to cant the shaped charge warhead relative to the axis of the missile. Accordingly, there is a need for an arrangement in which the warhead can be canted and still have rigid means for transferring the detonation from the safe and arm mechanism to the shaped charge warhead.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a rigid detonation transfer system for transferring detonation from the safe and arm mechanism to a canted shaped charge warhead of a missile.
Another object of this invention is to provide a detonation transfer system in which an acceptable gap exists between the end of the detonation transfer arm of the system and a precision initiation coupler of the shaped charge warhead.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a detonation transfer system for a shaped charge warhead in which the detonation transfer system is insulated electrically from the missile structure.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a detonation transfer system which enables the shaped charge warhead to be canted after the missile has been launched from its launch tube.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will be obvious to those skilled in this art.